Social Media Etiquette Do’s & Don’ts for Businesses

With the explosion of mobile devices and computers, sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (just to name a few) are being used by billions of people everyday. It is imperative for business owners to use these platforms to reach a larger audience. Online Spellcheckunderstands this and has put together some great tips on social media etiquette do’s and dont’s for businesses.

Following these rules will not only help your company reach more clients, but also increase traffic to your websites and profits. On the other hand, ignoring the etiquette to use when posting and sharing on social media platforms can also end up costing you clients and losing business. This is why these do’s and don’ts are imperative to follow if your company is using social media to reach clients.

Think Before You Post

If there is one golden rule that applies to posting something online on your company’s social media account is to think before you post it. Being aware of what your social media audience actually finds interesting, helpful and useful is very important. This means making sure each post is engaging, informative and productive to your followers. On the flip side of this coin is also being careful that the content you are posting does not offend anyone. Topics such as politics, race and other issues which divide the nation at times, should be taboo and refrained from. Unless of course your particular business or audience is catering to this type of information. Other questions such as “Does this have value?”, “Are we posting at the best time?” or “Are the right visual assets being used?” are just some issues that also need to be considered.

Never Spam your Followers

While you may want to post something every few minutes, spamming your followers can actually lead to losing them. No one wants to receive posts so frequently from anyone, let alone a business. Keep in mind that unless it is something the followers really can use or need, they will not want to see it; especially so often and on their social media accounts where most people use to get away from it all. If you do need to post then the maximum frequency to follow would be about one post or message per hour. In the event something urgent comes up, then you can break this rule. You can, of course simply post via different social media accounts to give you more latitude in posting.

Avoid Badmouthing the Competition

Getting into a shoving or shouting match with a competitor online is something you should always avoid. This means that while following your rivals to get insights into what they are up to is smart, you should refrain from posting anything too negative about them. Maintaining professionalism at all times gives your company the upper hand in the eyes of your followers. Still, if a competitor attacks you on social media you also need to respond and defend your brand. However, etiquette should be used when responding, making sure you take your time carefully planning your response. In the eyes of your followers, they will see you as taking the high road and maintaining your sophistication. Once they hear your side of the story, your audience can decide for themselves if the competitions comments have any merit and deserve consideration.

Respond Quickly to Comments

One of the most important things to keep in mind when using social media is that followers want answers to their questions and comments quickly. Any messages you may get or comments regarding a service or product should be answered as quickly as possible. Not answering them promptly can result in losing not only the business of the client, but also the followers.

Be sure to always have one person on your team in charge of responding to them. For those businesses with really high volume interactions, you can always set up a system to evaluate which comments, questions and messages should be answered first. Lastly, be sure the person in charge remembers to keep public relations in mind when addressing negative comments or feedback.

Online Spellcheck believes that if you follow these steps and tips on Do’s and Don’ts social media etiquette for businesses your company will flourish and the number of followers you have will also grow each day as more social media platforms are created.